I won't say Wikipedia is always correct, but they have pictures showing difference [skin] between a European version and a USian version of the fruit, though the use of names cantaloupe/ rock melon seems interchangeable.

Growing up in Vic this was a cantaloupe. Perhaps the different name is one of those state by state distinctions we once had e.g. fritz vs beef german, cordial vs soft drink?

Fritz is a South Aussie only lunch meat, there is nothing like it. If you ever want to try it when you are in Adelaide, don't get the "Chapman's" variety from the dairy case of the supermarket, go to the service deli and get some "bung fritz", it's the real deal and much better. (I smell a fritz post coming on...)I don't believe it is anything like beef german either. There are similar (strasbourg) products available in the Eastern states, but they don't compare to our "bung fritz". Cordial is a fruit syrup or fruit-like syrup that gets mixed with water for drinking while soft drink is carbonated and flavoured water, eg:cola.Yo-Yo biscuits are another South Aussie only item.

Just had a phone text reply from my daughter K, the sandwich meat we used to buy for their school lunches was called Devon, it's the closest looking to fritz, but the taste is quite different, blander. Fritz and sauce sangers are a hit with little kids, fritz and tomato with older kids sometimes, fried fritz and tomatoes for breakfast on weekends, sometimes with an egg. Oh, memories.

Well on behalf of NSW, where I was born and lived until 1980, NSW is a Rock Melon State also.I bet that if you were to go into a supermarket (Coles/W'worth etc) and asked an employee to direct you to the "Cantaloupe" section, you would be directed to the camping section to look at tents etc!Ah dear, trust dear old Melbourne to be the different one!!

Colin, I have seen puzzled expressions on the faces of supermarket employees for a million reasons... which is not to suggest all supermarket employees are clueless, but how sad, for example, a young adult can hold up a piece of broccoli and ask "what's this?"

If Janis Ian had been born in SA she might have sung "Will you darnce, will you darnce, take a charnce on romarnce...". Born in Qld this might have been "Will you dance, eh?"

Sadly, la difference will not vive much longer as our lingo is increasingly homogenised by inarticulate newsreaders, sporting sellairbrities and USian TV.

Anyone who doesn't know what broccoli is should be shot. Well, maybe that's a little harsh. Over here in "my" Coles, we all seem to know all the fruits and vegetables, even the horse radishes that look like giant white carrots, and celeriac. When in season we sell things like dragon fruit and lychees, they're easy enough to recognise.

Really!!! A lot of frivolity on this subject.1. If you don't know what broccoli is then I do wonder and for the record, President G.H.W.Bush (Snr.) hated the stuff, I am not too enthusiastic by it either. Quite difficult to cook properly, best eaten in top class restaurants!2. Gina is great for Australia - she produces and employs. Any able bodied of the "dole" mob, should be sent there - and trained. Might work and should work? Just have a look at what they are paid!It might be in not pleasant areas but they, the workers, are all on fly-in and fly out agreements, same here in the outback mines.3. And finally (smirk, smirk) - I asked an employee at W/worths today - where are the cantaloupes? - blank look. To save any embarrassment to the young lady, I just said -"Don't worry".Actually I was in the shop only to get sugar!Ah, cantaloupes, and into the match, marches Gina Rinehart! Very amusing, Gina would get a giggle.

I just had a terrible thought!I wonder did the young W/worth's lady after my question, see me at the check out with a $1.60 bag of white sugar? Australian brand of course. White sugar is a new name for "cantaloupe"!!!!!!!!! Good God, what have I done?

Colin, I suppose I would call this a post going off! R cooks broccoli to perfection, and I did not grow up eating it.

Gina is a successful rich woman who would like to drive down the wages and conditions of all workers, give not a fig for our original owner's lands, reduce her tax contribution to the national good, yet think by donating a pittance to a charity of her choice makes her the perfect citizen, that we should all aim to be. We will agree to disagree. Gina seems quite humourless. How can we thing of her otherwise when she won't appear in the media.

P.S. Bung Fritz is also made by Chapman's at their factory in Nairne, but the dairy case version, just called fritz, is sold in knobs,in plastic packaging, while the service deli bung fritz is larger, tied in a distinctive shape and sold in its orange coloured "skin" and seems to taste different.

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